Target taps Jeff Burt as grocery head

MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. on Monday announced the appointment of Jeff Burt as senior vice president, grocery, fresh food and beverage. Burt joins Target from Kroger Co., where he most recently served as president of the Fred Meyer division. He will assume his new post effective April 10.

Jeff Burt

In this role, Burt will be charged with helping to advance and execute Target’s food and beverage strategy. He replaces Anne Dament, who left Target in November after 18 months on the job. (Dament recently rejoined Supervalu as senior vice president of retail, merchandising and marketing.) Burt will report to Target executive vice president and chief merchandising officer Mark Tritton.

“After an extensive search to find a new leader to join our team, I’m confident that Jeff is the right person for the charge,” Tritton said in a statement. “His vast industry expertise will accelerate our plans to bring a unique food and beverage experience to Target guests. He’s an enthusiastic and passionate leader with the deep knowledge in food and beverage that Target needs to build on recent progress and drive future growth.”

As president of the Fred Meyer division, Burt was responsible for the executive management of stores, fuel stations, distribution centers, manufacturing plants and 38,000 employees. Burt held a number of leadership positions during his 30-year career at Kroger, including leading the chain’s central division, overseeing various merchandise categories, as well as overall merchandising and operations.

“I’ve always admired the love that shoppers have for Target,” said Burt. “There is an opportunity to harness the power of the Target brand to more clearly cater to what consumers want when they’re shopping for food and beverage. I am eager to join the team to help fuel the work that’s underway and propel the business forward.”